Mouse Sander vs Orbital Sander: How To Choose The Right One For a Task [UPDATED]

Last updated on September 22nd, 2022 at 08:38 am

When choosing between a mouse sander vs orbital sander use case should be the primary consideration. What do you want to use your sander for? Once you figure that out, you can also look at the ease of use. A mouse sander is excellent for tight and more complex surfaces. They tend to be affordable, portable and accurate. A random orbital sander is fast, easy to use and aggressive. Below is a more detailed overview of both tools.

Orbital Sander

It is an electrical machine for polishing surfaces. It has a square-shaped sanding pad and sands that move in little circles. They make vibrating movements that move the foot. They are not aggressive, and it makes them slow. 

What makes the Orbital sander great is that it works quickly and easily on large surface areas. Although it is not better in tiny spaces, it still reaches sharp edges. 

It is possible with some challenges. What it is good at is polishing woodwork pieces. There is a difference between a random orbital sander and a regular orbital sander.

 Regular sanders work in an orbiting pattern, and Random sanders work unpredictably. There are no scratch marks left when working with a random orbital sander. 

Random orbital sanders work better on large surface areas, using them on a cabinet or cupboard. The standard size is the ¼ sheet sander. 

Taking a closer look at what some sander tools do, you might notice that they do not give a perfect finish, and it is clear in activities that involve paint removal. As much as Orbital sander comes with discs, not all of them have the same motion capability. 

The reason is: the discs come in different models. Some of them lack the sanding faces that spin in the same movement. These will be ideal for rough surfaces. There are also big Orbital sanders that need you to use both hands. 

Pros

• Versatile
• Handy
• Give a smooth finish.
• Lightweight
• Great for removing paint and stain

Cons

• Not ideal for removing thick layers of paint
• Leave swirl marks

Mouse Sander

A mouse sander can be known as a detail or corner sander. The names go back to the small areas that the tool works on. It is small in size and compact.  It refurbishes furniture and wood floors. They can give a surface a fine finish, and it can be through painting or refinishing surface area. Mouse sanders use triangular sanding discs that are easy to hook up. The shape makes it ideal for complex surface areas. These include tiny corners and tight spots. 

I would use it on the corners of my wooden floor tiles, cabinet doors, and cupboard corners. It makes it an efficient and even tool. It takes time to polish surfaces, which can be both a disadvantage and an advantage and is time-consuming. 

The advantage is that it makes the work spontaneous. If you want to work on the solid wood used on your front door, I advise you to use the Mouse sander, which works well on old paint. The corners and edges will be left polished so that you might not need an additional tool for a beautiful look. 

The vibrating head that you attach to the sandpaper or rubber bits makes the work easier as it gets in tiny spaces. You need to keep it moving for a uniform surface when in motion, and good lighting will make the task easier. 

I advise you not to try to get done with the same spot at once. Several runs will yield better results. An innovative user will enjoy it, trying multiple angles and types of sandpapers.  The Enertwist Mouse sander has a finger sander attachment that reaches tight corners. 

Pros

• Portable
• Precise on tiny corners
• Works with multiple attachments
• Innovative
• Efficient

Cons

• Not ideal for large scale tasks
• Leave swirl marks

Main Features

• Dust collection system
• Sandpaper
• Power and speed

Orbital Sander

Dust collection bags

The random orbital sander has a round sanding pad with round sanding discs that you can attach to the pad using a hook. The holes on the discs are the ones that collect dust while you are polishing. It is important to remember to empty the dust bag. 

Sandpaper

When you are using an Orbital sander, you can use any sandpaper. It is excellent in terms of cost as you can compare prices, and availability means attractive prices.

Power and speed

The reason why Orbital sanders attract steeper prices is that they have used more power. The measuring unit is in amps, and the more power the machine operates, the faster it becomes. 

Mouse Sander

Dust collection

The TACKLIFE Classic Mouse sander has an efficient dust collection system (Source). It is ideal for tight spaces, and the area you will be cleaning can hardly get dirty. There is a buckle connection that keeps your box in place. An indoor experience would be great. The price is affordable for users with tight budgets. 

Sandpaper

The Enertwist Mouse sander has 21 holes on the canister and sandpaper, making it easy for high performance in extracting dust (Source). The design makes it easy for you to select sandpaper. The finger sander attachment easily maneuvers in tight areas and is ideal for corner finishing. The bits come in different shapes and sizes and are wrapped with adhesive sandpaper.

Power and Speed

The mouse sander is very small in size, making it fast in speed. It easily maneuvers even on small surface areas with multiple, tiny corners. The Enertwist Mouse sander is efficient, as shown by how it uses 13,000 orbits per minute. It is fast when woodworking, sanding and scrubbing. 

What could be better?

Orbital Sander 

The Orbital sander could have been quicker in removing material. 

Mouse Sander

No criticism of this one as yet.

Similarities

• They work in complicated spaces.
• They share a disadvantage as they leave swirling marks.

Key Differences

• The Orbital sander comes with sanding pads in a square shape and sands. They vibrate in small circles that are called orbits. The Mouse sander has a triangular-shaped sanding base. The sandpaper is attached from the head to the sand.
• Orbital sanders work in a circular motion, whereas the Mouse sander operates in a back-and-forth motion. The pad moves in a short arc motion rotating in small circles. 
• Orbital sanders are ideal for light tasks, whereas Mouse sanders are precise for more complicated and demanding activities. 
• Orbital sanders work well between layers of paint.

Cost

Mouse sanders are more affordable than Orbital sanders. The reason why Orbital sanders are a bit high in cost is that they are versatile tools.

Pro Tip: You should also see our Orbital Sander VS Palm Sander.

Final Verdict on mouse sander vs orbital sander

What will it be? Mouse sander or orbital sander? There is no universal tool for any surface. Selection criteria based on your requirements might be more accessible. The Orbital sander might be the best pick if you are looking for a tool that works on large surfaces easily and quickly.

You might need the Mouse sander for tiny corners and spaces such as cupboard doors. Although the Orbital tool faces challenges on complex surfaces, it still reaches some of them. It might perform just like the Mouse but not on demanding tasks.